Movie Review: Tropic Thunder

I can't say for sure what hooked me into the "Tropic Thunder" movie. Perhaps it was the trailer I saw in theaters where they showcased Robert Downey Jr. playing an actor receiving black-face surgery to play an African American. Perhaps it was the Ben Stiller skit of him, Jack Black, and Robert forming a think tank to create a viral video hit. Perhaps it was watching the three dressed as the Pips and backing up Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia." But most likely it was the protesting from various disability advocacy groups offended at "Tropic Thunder's" portrayal of the mentally challenged. Nothing brings my attention to something than footage of people getting offended and protesting that thing.

Ben Stiller co-wrote, directed, produced, and stars in this comedic gem satirizing Hollywood. It doesn't seem difficult to poke fun at the excess and egos of Hollywood. With TMZ and other celebrity news programs portraying the people of Hollywood as money hoarding, income spending, fame hogging, drug abusing, baby adopting, ego stroking, and otherwise totally insane people, the material kind of writes itself. But instead of a bunch of scenes and sketches poking fun at these foibles like an episode of "Saturday Night Live," "Tropic Thunder" blends the comedic elements into an easy to drink smoothie. The smoothie in this case is a movie about a big Hollywood studio attempting to produce an epic Vietnam War movie using four great stars. Be sure to seat yourself in the theater early to catch the trailers before the movie. "Tropic Thunder" features three faux trailers and one ad hidden in the line up of genuine trailers to introduce the main characters and their respective fields of acting.

The shamelessly self-promoting rap star Alpa Chino (say it slowly), played by Brandon T Jackson, hawks his latest energy drink Booty Sweat (Now an official beverage tie-in hitting retail shelves that tastes exactly as it sounds) and Bust A Nut candy bars in a typical rap video featuring booty shaking women and bling.

Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) is an action movie star whose trailer is the next installment in a string of increasingly bad sequels to his hit movie "Scorcher." This buffed-up actor's movie career is going so poorly he could run for governor.

Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) is a gross out drugged up comedian whose movie trailer has him playing multiple family members who all share a problem with gas.

And there's critically acclaimed, five time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) who is duly noted for his total immersion into whatever character he is playing. His trailer highlights how far he will go down and suck it up to portray an accurately convincing character. For comic book fans who have always wanted to see Iron Man pair up with Spiderman in a "special" setting, this trailer is for you (Kudos to Victoria's acute observation).

Needless to say, having four highly "talented" divas in one epic Vietnam War movie spells "Disaster." The special effects are literally blowing up the budget while the actors clash like children fighting over a toy. The director has a brilliant idea to throw the actors into an ultra realistic war setting and film them in a gritty, guerrilla style. It would be just like "The Blair Witch Project" or "Cloverfield" except this film wouldn't suck. When this idea literally explodes in the director's face, the actors are left to fend for themselves as they attempt to keep in character and complete the movie. Things get exponentially worse when the stars learn that the actors playing the gang of a well-armed drug manufacturing aren't actors...

This movie is a laugh riot that takes countless pot shots against Hollywood. In addition to the stars' ridiculous situation, you have side plots about ruthless Hollywood moguls trying to profit from the situation, a sycophant Hollywood agent quibbling over a minor detail of his client's contract, and a lesson about falsifying one's autobiography (Give Nick Nolte a hand). The star-studded cast and big name cameos work well together as they have fun making fun about the industry that molded them into stars.

"Tropic Thunder" also has a pretty good discussion lampooning the critical acclaim for actors who portray the mentally challenged or "R-Words" (This is my attempt to be politically correct about this issue). They reference past critically acclaimed "R-Word" roles like Dustin Hoffman's "Rain Man," Tom Hanks' "Forrest Gump," and Peter Sellers' "Being There." I'm really impressed they included Peter Sellers' movie and I give kudos for that. I can see how some advocacy groups can find offense to this topic. Then again, there's plenty of offending material in this movie anyway.

As a satire, this movie draws its humor from being offensive in a hyperbolic manner that is so over the top it can't be taken seriously. You've got a perfectly good white actor playing a perfectly good white actor playing a perfectly good African American role in this movie. The concept would be considered offensive, but they execute it in such an exaggerated and surreal manner that it cannot be taken seriously. In addition to the mentally challenged, other groups who may possibly take offense to this movie are Vietnam vets, drug addicts, Asian drug manufacturers, carnivores, and anyone involved in Hollywood.

If you want an epic war movie focusing on the bravery of American GIs during the Vietnam War, stay away from "Tropic Thunder." If you want a piercing satire of Hollywood actors and the industry, have fun with "Tropic Thunder." And even if you manage to hate everything else about the movie, watching a certain Caucasian actor getting down with his hip-hop self is alone worth the price of the ticket.

Tropic Thunder
Rated R for language, violence, gore, drug references, and razor sharp insults.